


Another Life

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-31
Updated: 2003-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 21:58:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	Another Life

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

Another Life by RSS

_Another Life_

By RSS 

The alarm clock wakes Senta Ehrler. Walking into her bathroom, she looks at herself in the mirror. She had a birthday yesterday. It was Uwe Raht’s birthday; Uwe was born forty years ago on November 10, and died the next day. Yesterday Senta visited Uwe’s grave in Hamburg. As she looks at herself, Senta wonders if she should take the name of another dead child or dye her hair gray. 

* * *

Senta walks into a crowded train station carrying a raincoat. She feels a tap on her back then an intense pain then falls and loses consciousness. When she wakes up, she finds herself lying on her back with a crowd of people around her. Someone shouts, “She’s alive.” Senta feels the pain in her back dying away. Her sense of survival kicks in and knows she has to get out of the station before anyone recognizes her. She puts on her raincoat as she stands, “I’m all right.” 

A man yells, “You’re not all right, lie down until the paramedics come!” 

Senta pushes past the crowd and runs to the exit. “Leave me alone, I don’t want any help!” 

Senta didn’t like being rude to people who were trying to help, but there was no choice. She’s glad the day was unseasonably warm and wonders if it was luck or intuition that made her take off her raincoat before entering the train station. Senta’s guess is someone shot her and there’s a bloody hole in her blouse and sweater. Senta doesn’t have any enemies and there would be no purpose to an Immortal shooting her in a public place so she concludes it was a random killing. She feels as though she should do something but doesn’t know what she can do. From a mortal’s perspective she just collapsed. She vainly tries to remember if there was someone following her. 

* * *

Walking home late in the evening, Senta walks home, and on the way she passes a newsstand. One of the tabloids has a headline that reads, “Woman Drops Dead in Paris Subway, Returns to Life.” _I hope this doesn’t attract every nasty Immortal in Europe here._

Not sensing any other Immortals, she turns into a deserted alley, cutting her walk home in half. Too late, she sees a figure in the darkness and then there’s a puff of air on her face. A burning sensation in her nose and throat follows. 

When she wakes up, she realizes someone has just killed her. Inside a week, someone has shot her in the back and gassed her. There’s no doubt: someone wants her dead but she has no idea who or why. 

* * *

Senta walks along the crowded streets, continually looking around to see if she notices someone following her. She has made some inquiries about good detective agencies. She hopes to spot someone so she will have something to tell the agency. She comes to her corner where there is a crowd of people on both her corner and the opposite corner. It reminds her of two primitive armies facing each other. When the light changes, she makes her way across the street but halfway across she feels a sharp pain in her calf. It feels as if someone stuck a large needle in her. She turns around but can’t tell which member of the mob stuck her. 

* * *

Senta wakes in her bedroom feeling very ill. She hasn’t felt this bad since her first death a century ago. Someone must have injected poison into her yesterday. She dresses and calls a taxi; she will have the taxi drop her off at the detective agency she had chosen. Senta tells herself there has to be a bright side to this. Her illness will convince the detective she isn’t just making this up. 

* * *

The taxi pulls up to the address and the sensation of another Immortal hits her like an anvil. She staggers out of the cab and makes her way to the entrance of a building that looks like an old church. The sign reads, “The Sanctuary”. The good news is she can tell someone the truth; the bad news is someone might want to take her head. _The way I feel right now I might welcome a quick death._

* * *

She walks into the other Immortal’s office. He’s a handsome, muscular man but gives her a stoic stare. 

“I’ve been poisoned. In the last few days I’ve also been shot and gassed.” Senta’s knees buckle. She straightens herself. The man jumps to his feet. He’s tall. 

“I’m Nick Wolfe.” 

“I’m Uwe Raht, for this generation. My original name is Senta Ehrler.” 

“I’ve been Nick Wolfe all my life.” 

Senta gets a hot flash and throws off her coat. She loses the strength in her legs but Nick catches her before she falls. He takes her in his arms and carries her out of the office. They pass a large mirror. 

“My blouse is inside out isn’t it?” 

“Yeah, it is.” 

_I’m not making a good first impression_

Nick carries her up a staircase. She feels a sharp pain in her chest and buries her head in Nick’s chest. _Think pleasant thoughts, Senta! Think pleasant thoughts, Senta!_

All she can think about is the agony. 

* * *

When Senta comes back to life, she’s lying on a bed. _Alive and alone. I guess I found a gentleman._ Senta gets up, picks up her shoes and walks out of the room. She enters the next room to see Nick and Amanda. 

“Oh, Amanda!” 

Amanda looks at Senta then turns to Nick. 

“Amanda, there’s perfectly innocent explanation for this.” 

“I hope so, Senta. I’d hate to have to kill you.” 

Senta smiles and gives Nick a reassuring tap on the shoulder. “Amanda is such a kidder. You see Amanda, someone has been trying to kill me.” 

“Someone’s wife or fiancée?” 

“I have no idea. That’s why I decided to go to a detective agency. Someone poisoned me. That happened yesterday. When I got here the poison finished its job. Obviously, Nick couldn’t leave me on the floor, so he was nice enough to put me on the bed. I just came back to life a minute ago.” 

Senta puts on her shoes while Amanda stares her down. “How did your blouse get inside out?” 

“Oh, that’s right. I felt horrible this morning. I didn’t pay any attention to what I was doing. My blouse was like this when I got here. I’ll go back in the bedroom and fix it.” 

“Why don’t you do that, darling.” Amanda gives a grin. Senta walks back into the bedroom, remembering the first time she met Amanda. 

* * *

**BERLIN, 1900**

It’s past midnight. Senta has accepted the invitation of another Immortal to come to his apartment. They both had a wonderful evening of dancing at the festival. Senta isn’t sure if it’s his charm, his looks, the beer, or that she can spend the night without worrying about another Immortal. This man has been in the game for three hundred years. Senta had her first death three years ago. So if another Immortal interrupts them he will deal with the situation. The evening has been wonderful and it may get even better. 

* * *

Senta sits on a bed in her undergarments. When they entered his apartment, the man took off his shirt then passed out on the foot of the bed. Senta feels she can use the extra time to clear her head. She also finds the situation amusing. 

The sensation of another Immortal hits her like a sledgehammer. She shakes the man to rouse him but he’s out cold. Senta grabs her sword and waits for the other Immortal in her underwear and stockings and slightly intoxicated. She’s about to face an Immortal who’s strong enough to challenge an old Immortal in his own apartment. 

The door unlocks then bursts open and a tall woman steps inside. She has two suitcases with her. “Surprise! I finished my --” The woman draws a broadsword. 

“I didn’t know about you. Is he really worth dying for? Or killing for?” 

The woman looks at the half naked man and gives a smirk then a grin. “No man is worth either.” The women lower their swords. “I’m Amanda.” 

“I’m Senta.” 

“Well I hope there’s an inn with an empty room.” 

“Give me a moment to dress. You can spend the night at my place.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Senta looks at the unconscious man. “Yes, I’m sure.” Senta dresses and the two women leave. 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

Senta walks out of the bedroom and Nick gets right to business. “Do you know anyone who would have a reason to kill you?” 

“No, I’m not close enough to anyone.” 

“You know Amanda had a valid question.” 

“One incident a hundred years ago and I’m marked for life.” 

“My interest in your personal life is purely professional.” 

“If I stepped on another woman’s playground I’m not aware of it.” 

“How about bad breakups?” 

“No, at least not in this life.” 

“Past lives?” 

“A bad one about forty years ago.” 

Amanda raises and eyebrow. “Lucky you.” 

“I always found it best to leave on good terms, Amanda.” 

“What about business partners or competitors?” 

“No business, I’m just a nine-to-five type person.” 

Another man walks in the room. Amanda greets him. “Hi, Bert.” 

“Hi.” 

Nick points to Senta. “Bert, this is a new client of ours, Uwe Raht.” 

“Uwe Raht, this is the owner of the company, Bert Myers.” 

Bert gives a puzzled look and extends his hand to Senta. “When were you born?” 

“November tenth.” 

“In Hamburg?” 

“Yes, how did you know?” 

“You’re not Uwe Raht.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I know Uwe Raht and you aren’t her.” 

“There has to be more than one Uwe Raht in the world.” 

Amanda steps between Senta and Bert. “Why don’t we start from the beginning? Bert, how do you know Uwe Raht?” 

Bert hesitates. 

“Uwe Raht died the day after she was born.” 

Amanda turns to Senta who gives a reluctant nod. “Bert, how do you know that?” 

“I used her name for a new identity.” 

Senta realizes the implications and holds up her hands. “I got that name off the same tombstone you did. I don’t know anything about a third Uwe Raht.” 

Bert’s mood changes but he still wants some more answers. “Why do you need another name?” 

“I married someone who takes ‘till death do us part’ very seriously.” 

Nick steps forward and opens his mouth but Amanda waves him off. Amanda gives a scheming smile. “Uwe came here because someone has been trying to kill her.” 

“We thought maybe it was her ex but it could be a case of mistaken identity.” 

“Lucky me.” 

“What is your real name?” 

“Senta Ehrler.” 

“Where were you born?” 

“Berlin.” 

“East or West?” 

Senta tries to figure out the geography, then realizes it’s better to give the right answer than a truthful one. “West.” 

Amanda smiles. “Bert, the cold war is over.” 

“Not for everybody.” 

Nick steps towards Senta. “Uwe, Senta, would you be willing to act as decoy?” 

“It seems that’s what I am right now whether I like it or not.” 

* * *

Senta is on her morning jog wearing more clothes than normal. For the past three days she has been following her normal routine. She turns into an alley and runs by a homeless man who’s scavenging through a trashcan. She feels a thump on her back that knocks her to the ground. Looking behind her, she sees Nick has a firm grip on the homeless man. The man struggles a bit but Nick convinces him resistance is useless. Amanda and Bert rush to Nick’s aid, not that he needs any. Amanda runs to Senta and waves off Bert. Senta watches her scrapes and bruises heal. 

“Senta, good as new?” 

“Yes, I’m presentable.” 

Amanda helps Senta to her feet. Senta takes off her sweatshirt and reveals her body armor. She yells, “The latest in feminine protection!” 

The man screams back, “You betrayed my trust! You ruined my life!” 

Bert shakes his head. “You got the right name but the wrong girl.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“You’ve got the knack for making mistakes. She wasn’t the woman I turned. I didn’t meet her until a couple of days ago. Wrong girl, wrong side, wrong weapons.” Bert picks up a cigarette case. 

“Here is the attempted murder weapon. A gun designed to fit in a cigarette case.” 

Amanda looks at the case. “Isn’t modern technology amazing?” 

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Senta, Amanda, and Nick are in Nick’s office. Senta looks into a microscope at a ball bearing. It has two small drill holes in it. 

“So this is what caused me all that pain?” 

Nick nods his head. “Yeah, in his apartment we found a gun that shoots poison gas among a bunch of other weapons that belong in a spy movie.” 

Amanda smiles. “Boys with toys.” 

Bert walks into the office. “Hi, Senta, glad you’re here. Thank you for helping us out.” 

“Thank you. How much do I owe you?” 

“Since this was more my case than yours, it’s on the house.” 

“Thank you again.” 

“The defection shattered his career. Then the wall came down and things went from bad to worse. Apparently you and the other Uwe Raht were both in London in 1999. You look enough like her --” 

“So he picked up my trail instead of your Uwe Raht.” 

“Yeah. While doing some checking I found there was a chain of inheritance that goes back a hundred years to a Senta Ehrler.” 

Senta smiles. “Creative bookkeeping.” 

Amanda takes Senta by the arm. “Looks like I’ve found a kindred spirit. Come on Senta, I’ll show you out.” 

Senta isn’t ready to leave but decides since she’s in Amanda’s playground it’s best to follow her lead. They walk out of Nick’s office and to the “The Sanctuary” front door. Senta checks to make sure the men didn’t follow them. 

“Your ’do has given me an idea. I think I’ll get a similar style and gray hair. That way I can stay Uwe Raht for a few more years.” 

“I never could fault you on your taste.” 

“Amanda, You aren’t greedy with men are you?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I can tell there’s something between you and Nick. What about you and Bert? I wouldn’t ask, but I don’t want to step in your playground.” 

Amanda smiles and suppresses a laugh. “No darling, if you want Bert he’s all yours.” 

**THE END**

* * *

© 2003   
Please send comments to the author! 

* * *


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